Semi-automatic machine for packaging tea bags

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for packaging tea bags distended in part by a nonuniform distribution of tea therein, comprising a rotor on which there is mounted a carton holder for movement from a loading station at which it is adapted to receive and support a carton in an upright position with its upper end open and with a stack of tea bags therein, the collective thickness of which exceeds the depth of the carton with the excess tea bags supported above the open end; to a second station where the carton is vibrated to effect a redistribution of the tea in the tea bags such as to diminish the height of the stack to a dimension no greater than the depth of the carton and where the carton is partially closed; and from thence to a third station where the filled carton is discharged and simultaneously completely closed.

United States Patent [1 1 Vergobbi May 28, 1974 1 SEMI-AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR PACKAGING TEA BAGS [75] Inventor: Robert W. Vergobbi, Braintree,

Mass.

[73] Assignee: Pneumatic Scale Corporation,

Quincy, Mass.

[22] Filed: Aug. 31, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 285,187

[52] US. Cl 53/24, 53/37, 53/126, 53/253, 53/258, 53/266 [51] Int. Cl B65b 5/06, B65b 63/00 [58] Field of Search 53/24, 26, 37, 142, 126, 53/247, 249, 253, 258, 263, 266, 376; 141/78, 79

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,136,901 11/1938 Ferguson 53/126 2,669,813 2/1954 lrmscher 53/24 Primary ExaminerRobert L. Spruill Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Dike, Bronstein, Roberts & Cushman [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for packaging tea bags distended in part by a non-uniform distribution of tea therein, comprising a rotor on which there is mounted a carton holder for movement from a loading station at which it is adapted to receive and support a carton in an upright position with its upper end open and with a stack of tea bags therein, the collective thickness of which exceeds the depth of the carton with the excess tea bags supported above the open end; to a second station where the carton is vibrated to effect a redistribution of the tea in the tea bags such as to diminish the height of the stack to a dimension no greater than the depth of the carton and where the carton is partially closed; and from thence to a third station where the filled carton is discharged and simultaneously completely closed.

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1. In an apparatus for filling a carton closed at one end and open at the other, with packets and closing the open end, the carton being of the kind having at least one closure member hinged to the open end thereof for folding across said open end to close the same, a carton holder supported for movement from a carton receiving position angularly in a vertical plane about a horizontal axis to an upright position for moving a carton received thereby to said upright position with its open end uppermost and with the closure member extended, the carton holder embodying an extention beyond the open top of the carton supported Therein capable of supporting a number of packets above the open top of the carton in excess of the volumetric capacity of the carton, means for vibrating the carton in the carton holder to reduce the thickness of the packets to a dimension not exceeding the depth of the carton and means thereafter for folding the closure member over the top.
 2. Apparatus for filling a carton open at one end with packets and closing the carton, said carton being of the kind having at least one closure member hinged to the open end thereof for floding across the end, a support to which packets are delivered in a column, a carton holder at said support, said carton holder having an open end, means supporting the carton holder with its open end uppermost for movement from said upright position to a prone position, such that the open end is adjacent the column of packets on the support, said carton holder being constructed and arranged to be engaged with a carton resting on the support when moved to said prone position and when raised to said upright position to lift the carton from the support to an upright position, said carton holder in said prone position being adapted to guide a column of packets into the carton, the length of which exceeds the depth of the carton, and in said upright position to support the stack within the carton with the excess packets above the top, means for vibrating the carton while held in said upright position, and means for folding the closure member across the open top following reduction of the height of the stack to a dimension not exceeding the depth of the carton.
 3. Apparatus for filling a carton open at one end with packets and closing the carton, said carton being of the kind having at least one closure member at the open end foldable across the open end, a support to which packets are delivered in a column, said support being adapted to support a carton on one side with its open end confronting the column and with its closure member distended, a carton holder constructed and arranged to be engaged with the prone carton and having open lower and upper ends, means supporting the carton holder for movement from an upright position to a prone position in engagement with the prone carton, means on the carton holder adapted to grip the carton when the carton holder is lowered to said position of engagement therewith and to raise the carton with the carton holder when the latter is raised to said upright position, said carton holder in said prone position being constructed and arranged to provide an extension at the open end of the carton for guiding a column of packets into the carton, the length of which exceeds the depth of the carton, and in said upright position being adapted to support the stack of packets with the excess packets above the open top, means engageable with the bottom of the carton through the lower open end of the carton holder for vibrating the carton, and means for folding the closure member across the open top following reduction of the height of the stack to a dimension not exceeding the depth of the carton.
 4. In an apparatus for filling a carton open at one end with packets and closing the carton, said carton being of the kind having at least one closure member hinged to the open end thereof for folding across said end to close the same, a movable support, a carton holder on the movable support, a plurality of spaced operating stations at which operations are performed in succession which contribute to filling and closing the carton, and means for effecting intermittent movement of the movable support and hence the carton holder from station to station; a first station, a stationary support at said first station to which packets are delivered, said carton holder at said first station being adapted to receive and support a carton in an upright position with its uppermost end open with the closure member distended therefrom and with a stack of packets therein comprised of a predetermined number of packets, the collective thickneSs of which exceeds the depth of the carton with the excess packets above the open end, a second station, means at the second station operable to reduce the collective thickness of the packets in the stack to a dimension not exceeding the depth of the carton, a third station, and means at the third station operable to discharge the filled carton and simultaneously close the closure member over the open end of the carton.
 5. In an apparatus for filling a carton open at one end with packets and closing the carton, said carton being of the kind having dust flaps and a closure flap at said end, a movable support, a carton holder on the movable support, a plurality of spaced operating stations at which operations are performed in succession which contribute to filling and closing the carton, and means for effecting intermittent movement of the movable support and hence the carton holder from station to station; a first station, a stationary support at said first station to which packets are delivered, said carton holder when at said first station being adapted to receive and support a carton in an upright position with its upper end open and with a stack of packets therein comprised of a predetermined number of packets, the collective thickness of which exceeds the depth of the carton with the excess packets above the open end, a second station, means at the second station operable to reduce the collective thickness of the packets in the stack to a dimension not exceeding the depth of the carton and partly close the open end of the carton, a third station, and means at the third station operable to discharge the filled carton and simultaneously completely close the carton.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the carton holder embodies a portion which provides an extension at the open end of the carton corresponding to the cross-section of the interior of the carton.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the stationary support is arranged to support a carton on its side with its open end in a position adjacent the place of delivery of the packets thereto, wherein the carton holder is movable on the movable support from an upright position to a prone position over the carton resting on the stationary support, said carton holder including a portion extending beyond the open end of the carton toward the place of delivery through which packets are adapted to be slid into the carton, said portion being of a length such as to accommodate said excess packets, and wherein the carton holder is movable from said prone position, following introduction of a predetermined number of packets into the carton, to an upright position for movement from said first station to the second station.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the stationary support is arranged to support a carton on its side with its open end in a position adjacent the place of delivery of the packets thereto, means supporting the carton holder on the movable support for movement from an upright position to a prone position over the carton resting on the stationary support, said carton holder embodying means comprising a part which forms an extension of the interior of the carton at the open end thereof when lowered over the carton through which packets are adapted to be pushed into the open end of the carton and which is of sufficient length to accommodate the excess packets, said carton holder being movable to its upright position following introduction of packets into the carton for movement from said first station to the second station, and means on the carton holder operable by movement of the carton holder over the carton to latch the carton thereto for movement of the carton from the stationary support to an upright position with the carton holder when the latter is moved to its upright position.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said last means comprises spaced latch members on the carton holder engageable with the carton by movement of the carton holder to said prone position, said latCh members being operable to releasably retain the carton in the carton holder.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the portion of the carton holder comprising the extension operates to hold the closure flap and the dust flaps at the open end of the carton distended.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the part of the carton holder comprising the extension embodies rectangularly arranged wall members corresponding in arrangement to the sides of the carton, one of which is movable into engagement with the stationary support by movement of the carton holder to said prone position and in said position holds the closure flap distended, and others of which are adapted to hold the dust flaps distended.
 12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said one wall member is operable as it is moved downwardly into engagement with the stationary support to spread the dust flaps laterally to admit said other wall members therebetween.
 13. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said one wall member provides a bridge across the distal end of the closure flap across which the packets are adapted to be pushed into the carton.
 14. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the packets are delivered to the stationary support in two columns, wherein the part comprising the extension embodies rectangularly arranged wall members, bottom, top and side walls, wherein the bottom wall is adapted to be disposed in engagement with the stationary support when the carton holder is moved to said prone position to hold the closure flap distended, and guide means on the top wall for guiding packets through the holder into the carton in two columns.
 15. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the packets are delivered to the stationary support in two columns, wherein the part comprising the extension embodies rectangularly arranged wall members, bottom, top and side walls, and a divider element attached to the inner side of the top wall midway between the side walls and extending downwardly therefrom toward the bottom wall operates to guide the packets through the carton holder into the carton in two columns.
 16. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the part comprising the extension embodies rectangularly arranged wall members, bottom, top and side walls, wherein the bottom wall is adapted to be disposed in engagement with the stationary support when the carton holder is moved to its prone position to hold the closure flap distended, and elements at the inner side of the top wall projecting downwardly therefrom operable to support packets upright as they are moved through the extension into the carton.
 17. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said elements comprise bristles.
 18. Apparatus according to claim 7, comprises a gauge block on the stationary support with which the bottom of the carton is adapted to be engaged to position the carton thereon for engagement of the carton holder therewith.
 19. Apparatus according to claim 7, comprising a track extending from station to station with which the bottom of the carton is adapted to be engaged while supported within the carton holder and along which the carton slides as it is moved from station to station by the carton holder.
 20. Apparatus according to claim 7, comprising a latch on the movable support for releasably holding the carton holder in said upright position.
 21. In an apparatus for filling a carton open at one end with packets and closing the carton, said carton being of the kind having dust flaps and a closure flap at the open end, a movable support, a carton holder on the movable support, a plurality of spaced operating stations at which operations are performed in succession which contribute to filling and closing the carton, means for effecting movement of the movable support and hence the carton holder from station to station, a first station, a stationary support at said first station to which packets are delivered, said carton holder when at said first station being adapted to receive and support a carton in an upright position with the upper end open and with a stack of packets therein comprising a predetermined number of packets, the collective thickness of which exceeds the depth of the carton with the excess packets above the open end, a second station, vibrator means at the second station operable by shaking the stacked packets to reduce the collective thickness of the packets to a dimension not exceeding the depth of the carton, means at said second station operable to close the dust flaps over the open end of the carton, a third station, and means at the third station for discharging the filled carton and closing the closure flap.
 22. Apparatus according to claim 21, comprising a track extending from station to station on which the bottom of the carton is supported by the carton holder and along which it is moved by the movable support, said track containing a gap at said second station, an elevator situated in said gap at a level such as to receive the bottom of the carton as it is moved to said second station, a vibrator at said second station and means for lowering the elevator and the carton resting thereon into engagement with the vibrator.
 23. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said last means is operable to raise the elevator and carton to the level of the track following vibration.
 24. Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the vibrator comprises a cantilever supported spring member and a rotary cam engaged with said spring member operable by rotation to effect vibration of the spring member.
 25. Apparatus according to claim 7, comprising pressure-applying means at said second station supported in a position above the path of travel of the carton holder such as to allow the carton holder to move beneath it, and means for lowering said pressure-applying means into engagement with the top of the stack of packets while effecting vibration of the stack.
 26. Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein two stacks of packets are supported in the carton, comprising pressure-applying means at said second station supported in a position above the path of travel of the carton holder such as to allow the carton holder to move beneath it, means for effecting vertical movement of the pressure-applying means, said means including two pressure-applying plates for engagement with the tops of the two stacks, and means for lowering the pressure-applying means into engagement with the stacks while effecting vibration and for raising said pressure-applying means from the stacks following vibration.
 27. Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the carton holder embodies means for folding the dust flaps inwardly over the top opening, and wherein there is means at the second station operable following settling of the packets into the carton to cause said means to fold said dust flaps across the open top.
 28. Apparatus according to claim 21, comprising folding means for folding the dust flaps inwardly over the open top, means for moving said folding means from an inoperative to an operative position to fold the dust flaps over the top, and means for holding said folding means in said operative position as the carton holder moves from the second station to the third station.
 29. Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the carton holder embodies pivotally supported closure members supported for pivotal movement toward each other and openings through which the closure members are adapted to be moved inwardly from inoperative positions to operative positions to bend the dust flaps inwardly over the open top, means on the carton holder yieldingly holding said closure members in their inoperative positions, and means at said second station operable following vibration such as to reduce the height of the stack to a dimension no greater than the depth of the carton to rotate the closure members to said operative positions.
 30. Apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said means which holds the closure members in their inoperative positions operatEs when the latter are moved to their operative positions to hold them in said operative positions while the movable member is moving the carton holder to the third station.
 31. Apparatus according to claim 30, wherein spring means yieldably holds the closure members in each of their positions.
 32. In an apparatus for filling a carton open at one end with packets and closing the carton, said carton being of the type having dust flaps and a closure flap at the open end, a movable support, a carton holder on the movable support, a plurality of spaced stations at which operations are performed in succession whic contribute to filling and closing the carton, means for effecting movement of the movable support and hence the carton holder from station to station; a first station, a stationary support at said first station to which packets are delivered, said carton holder at said first station being adapted to receive and support a carton in an upright position with its upper end open and with a stack of packets therein comprised of a predetermined number of packets, the collective thickness of which exceeds the depth of the carton with the excess packets above the open end, a second station, means at said second station for condensing the packets within the open carton and closing the dust flaps, a third station, a ram at the third station, means for effecting movement of the ram to push the carton from the carton holder, and folding means disposed in position such as to fold the closure flap downwardly against the dust flaps as the carton is expelled.
 33. Apparatus according to claim 32, comprising spaced guide members supported at the third station, said ram being mounted in a position to engage the carton at said third station and push it from the carton holder between the guide members to a position of discharge, and a folding blade mounted between the guide members at a level corresponding to the top of the carton operable as the carton is expelled from the carton holder and moved therebetween to intercept and fold the closure flap against the top.
 34. Apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said folding blade is adjustable heightwise.
 35. Apparatus according to claim 32, comprising means for effecting reciprocation of the ram.
 36. Apparatus according to claim 32, comprising a conveyor situated at the outer end of the guide members onto which the carton is pushed by the ram.
 37. In an apparatus for filling a carton open at one end with packets and closing the carton, said carton being of the kind having dust flaps and a closure flap at the open end, a rotatable support, a plurality of carton holders mounted on the support at equal angular distances from each other, a plurality of equally spaced stations arranged about the axis of rotation of the rotatable support such that the work holders are movable intermittently from station to station and at any interval of rest there is a carton holder at each station, and means for effecting intermittent rotation of the rotor; a first station, a stationary support at the first station onto which packets are delivered, means mounting the carton holders on the rotor for movement to a position on the stationary support into engagement with a carton resting thereon, said carton holder while in said position being adapted to guide packets into the carton, said carton holder being thereafter movable to an upright position, a second station, vibrator means at the second station operable while the carton holder with the carton supported thereby is at said second station to shake the packets until the stack of packets settle into the carton, closure members on the carton holder movable from inoperative to operative positions to fold the dust flaps against the open top following settling of the packets into the carton, means at the second station for moving the closure member to their inoperative positions, means on the carton holder for maintaining the closure members in said operative positions, a third station, a ram at the third station operable to expel the carton from the carton holder, closure means at said third station for folding the closure flap against the dust flaps as the carton is expelled, a fourth station, and means at the fourth station operable to restore the closure members on said carton holder to their inoperative positions.
 38. Apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the carton holder is open at its lower end and there is a rail concentric with the axis of rotation of the rotor on which the bottom of the carton is adapted to rest and on which it slides from station to station as the rotor moves the carton holder from station to station.
 39. Apparatus according to claim 37, wherein a releasable latch member holds each carton holder in upright position as it travels from the first station through the several stations and back to the first station, said latch member being manually releasable to permit rotating the carton holder downwardly into engagement with a carton resting on the stationary support at said first station.
 40. The method of packaging envelope like packets in a carton of predetermined depth closed at one end and open at the other with at least one closure member at open end, comprising filling the carton with the envelope like packets, supporting a number of additional packets above the packets confined in the carton in vertical alignment therewith and resting on the packets within the carton to form a column of packets the height of which exceeds the depth of the carton, vibrating the carton and column of packets contained therein to effect the redistribution of the material in the packets to uniform thickness such that the height of the column of packets is not greater than the depth of the carton and then closing the end closures over the open end of the carton.
 41. The method of packaging envelope-like packets containing material which has settled to the lower part of the packets as a consequence of handling operations preparatory to packaging, such that the lower portions are substantially thicker than the upper portions, comprising supporting a carton of a predetermined depth on its side with one end open, placing a holder about the open end of the carton such as to increase the effective depth of the carton, sliding a group of packets, the collective thickness of the thicker portions of which is greater than the depth of the carton but less than the depth of the carton plus the length of the holder into the holder and carton, tilting the holder and carton to an upright position, and vibrating the carton to effect redistribution of the material in the packets to a uniform thickness such that the collective thickness of the uniformly thick packets is no greater than the depth of the carton.
 42. The method of packaging envelope-like packets containing material which has settled to the lower portions of the packets as a consequence of handling prior to packaging so that the lower portions of the packets are mush thicker than the upper portions thereof, comprising supporting a carton of predetermined depth on its side with one open end, supporting a holder at the open end of the carton, gathering a plurality of such packets, the collective thickness of the thicker portions of which is greater than the depth of the carton but less than the composite depth of the carton and holder, piloting the packets through the holder and open end of the carton into the carton, tilting the carton and holder to an upright position, vibrating the bottom of the carton to effect redistribution of the material in the packets to a uniform thickness such that the collective thickness of the uniformly thick packets is less than the depth of the carton and removing the holder.
 43. A method according to claim 42, comprising arranging the packets on a pilot and moving the pilot and packets through the holder into the carton.
 44. A method according to claim 44, comprising supporting the thinner portions of the packets in the stack in spaced parallel relation aT a spacing corresponding substantially to the thickness of the thicker portions of the packets.
 45. The method of packaging envelope-like packets containing material which has settled to the lower portions of the packets as a consequence of handling prior to packaging so that the lower portions of the packets are substantially thicker than the upper portions thereof, comprising supporting a carton of predetermined depth on its side, with one end open, supporting a holder about the open end, selecting a plurality of packets arranged in two columns side by side, the collective thickness of the thicker portions of the packets in each column exceeding the depth of the carton but being less than the composite depth of the carton and holder, piloting the leading packets in the columns through the holder into the carton so as to dispose the packets in separately defind columns, tilting the carton and holder to an upright position and while holding the columns in divided vertical stacks vibrating the carton to effect redistribution of the material in the packets to a uniform thickness such that the composite thickness of the uniformly thick packets in each stack is less than the depth of the carton.
 46. A method according to claim 45, comprising supporting the packets at the leading ends of the columns in upright positions and manually pushing the rearmost packets of the selected numbers of packets forwardly against the preceding packets in the columns to slide the columns through the holder into the carton.
 47. A method according to claim 41, comprising applying pressure to the upper end of the stack of packets while effecting vibration thereof. 